Lift table

ABSTRACT

A lift table includes a receiving and supporting assembly and at least one lifting arm that extends perpendicularly to the receiving and supporting assembly. The assembly and the arm are mounted on a frame for pivotal movement between an article supporting positon, wherein the receiving and supporting assembly extends horizontally and the lifting arm extends vertically, and an article receiving position, wherein the lifting arm extends horizontally and the receiving and supporting assembly extends vertically. While the assembly is in the latter position, an article is attached to the lifting arm. Then, the assembly is pivoted to the article supporting position. During this movement, the receiving and supporting assembly moves under the article, so that the article is transferred from the lifting arm to the receiving and supporting assembly.

[451 Apr. 17, 1973 LIFT TABLE [75] inventor: Maston B. Wolfe, Jr.,Dallas, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Standard Manufacturing Company,

Incorporated, Dallas, Tex.

[22] Filed: Aug. 5, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 61,230

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Austria ..2l4/318 Primary ExaminerRobertG. Sheridan Assistant ExaminerFrank E. Werner AttorneyRichards, Harrisand Hubbard ABSTRACT A lift table includes a receiving and supportingassembly and at least one lifting arm that extends perpendicularly tothe receiving and supporting assembly. The assembly and the arm aremounted on a frame for pivotal movement between an article supportingpositon, wherein the receiving and supporting assembly extendshorizontally and the lifting arm extends vertically, and an articlereceiving position, wherein the lifting arm extends horizontally and thereceiving and supporting assembly extends vertically. While the assemblyis in the latter position, an article is attached to the lifting arm.Then, the assembly is pivoted to the article supporting position. Duringthis movement, the receiving and supporting assembly moves under thearticle, so that the article is transferred from the lifting arm to thereceiving and supporting assembly.

15 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEBAPFI 7:375

QHEU 1 UP 3 FIG.I

INVENTOR F G 4 MAST 0N B. WOLFE, JR.

ATTORNEY PATENTEI] APR 1 7 I975 SHEET 2 OF 3 INVENTOR MASTON B. WOLFE,JR.

ATTORNEY NTEU APR 1 71915 sum 3 [1F 3 if] T E 'NVENTOR:

MASTON B MR.

LIFT TABLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the field of aerial weaponry,weapons such as bombs, rockets, and the like are secured to aircraft bythe interengagement of lugs on the weapons and attaching members on theaircraft. Although aerial weapons frequently weigh as much as severaltons, they must be positioned very accurately relative to an aircraftbefore their lugs can mate with the attaching members on the aircraft.For this reason, aerial weapons are usually mounted on aircraft by meansof a lift table.

Lift tables suitable for use in handling aerial weapons are typicallymounted on lift trucks and function to permit relative movement betweenan aerial weapon supported on the table and the lift truck. The lifttables may include hydraulic actuators, or they may be manuallyoperable. In either case, lift tables provide for the movement ofweapons in as many as six directions, i.e., linear movement along androtational movement about three mutually perpendicular axes.

In the past, lift tables have comprised low profile devices adapted fordirect engagement with suitably supported weapons. However, weapons arefrequently stored in such a way that they can not be directly engaged bya conventional lift table. For example, weapons may be stored on a flatsurface, or they may be stored in racks which do not permit sufficientclearance for direct engagement by a conventional lift table. In such acase, it has heretofore been necessary to transfer the weapon to asuitable support before engaging the weapon with a lift table.

This invention relates to a lift table adapted for direct engagementwith articles supported in such a way that they cannot be directlyengaged by conventional lift tables. The lift table includes at leastone lifting arm that is initially secured to an article and a receivingand supporting assembly that receives the article from the lifting arm.The use of the invention eliminates the necessity of transferring anarticle to a suitable support prior to engagement of the article by alift table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, a lift table includes a receiving and supporting assemblyand a lifting arm. The lift table is initially moved to an articlereceiving position, and an article is secured to the lifting arm. Then,the lift table is moved to an article supporting position. During thismovement, the article is transferred from the lifting arm to thereceiving and supporting assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of theinvention may be had by referring to the following detailed descriptionwhen taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a lift truck including a lift table employingthe present invention;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are schematic views illustrating the operation of thelift table assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the lift table showing the detailsthereof;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a fourth embodiment, and,

FIG. 9 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, and particularly toFIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a lift truck 10 including a lift table 12employing the present invention. The lift truck 10 includes an engine 14that is coupled to a pair of rear drive wheels 16 through a hydrostaticdrive unit (not shown). A driving compartment 18 is positioned over thehydrostatic drive unit and includes a seat 20 and a steering wheel 22 iscoupled to a pair of forward steering wheels 24. The lift table 12 issupported over the forward wheels 24 by a hydraulically operated tablelifting assembly 26.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the table lifting assembly 26 includes a pairof booms 28, only one of which is shown. The lift table 12 includes aframe 30 which is pivotally connected to the booms 28 of the assembly26. The frame 30 includes a pair of ears 32 which extend upwardly fromthe frame and which are connected to a pair of tension rods 34, only oneof which is shown. The tension rods 34 comprise portions of the tablelifting assembly 26 and cooperate with the booms 28 to maintain theframe 30 in the orientation shown in FIG. 5 regardless of the verticalpositioning of the lift table 12 as controlled by the table liftingassembly 26.

The lift table 12 further includes a receiving and supporting assembly36. The assembly 36 includes a plurality of weapon engaging rollers 38which are selectively positioned in various apertures formed in a plate40 depending upon the size of a particular weapon to be handled by thelift table 12. In the use of the receiving and supporting assembly 36,the rollers 38 support an aerial weapon for rotation about a horizontalaxis extending parallel to the axes of the rollers 38.

The plate 40 is supported on an intermediate frame 42 by a pair ofhinges 44 and a screw 46. The hinges 44 and the screw 46 permit rotationof a weapon supported on the rollers 38 about an axis extending parallelto the axes of the hinges 44. The intermediate frame 42 is in turnsupported on a main frame 48 by a plurality of bearing blocks 50. Thebearing blocks 50 permit rotation of a weapon supported on the rollers38 about a vertical axis. Thus, the various components of the receivingand supporting assembly 38 permit rotation of a weapon about threemutually perpendicular axes.

The main frame 48 of the assembly 36 includes a pair of rack and pinionassemblies (not shown). The rack and pinion assemblies cooperate topermit movement of the bearing blocks 50 in mutually perpendicularlydirections relative to the plane of the main frame 48. The verticalposition of the plane of the main frame 48 is controlled by the tablelifting assembly 26 of the lift truck 10. Thus, by means of the lifttruck 10 and the various components of the receiving and supportingassembly 36, an aerial weapon supported on the lift table 12 can berotated about three mutually perpendicular axes and can be moved inthree mutually perpendicular directions.

The lift table 12 further includes a pair of lifting arms 52, only oneof which is shown. The arms 52 include weapon engaging hooks 54 and arepivotally supported on the main frame 418 of the receiving andsupporting assembly 36 for movement between the position shown in fulllines in FIG. 5 and the position shown in dashed lines therein. When thearms 52 are in the position shown in full lines, they are located bycooperating locating surfaces 56 and 58 on the arms and on the mainframe 48, respectively, and extend adjacent to and away from thereceiving and supporting assembly 36 of the lift table 12.

The receiving and supporting assembly 36 and the lifting arms 52 of thelift table 12 are supported for pivotal movement relative to the frame30 upon operation of a hydraulic cylinder 60. The cylinder 60 isconnected between a bracket 62 comprising an extension of the frame 30and a bracket 64 secured to the main frame 48 of the receiving andsupporting assembly 36. Upon actuation, the cylinder 60 pivots theassembly 36 and the arms 52 through an arc of about 90. That is, byoperating the cylinder 60, the receiving and supporting assembly 36 andthe lifting arms 52 can be pivoted from the supporting position shown inFIG. 5, wherein the arms 52 extend vertically and the assembly 36extends horizontally, to a receiving position wherein the arms 52 extendhorizontally and the assembly 36 extends vertically.

The operation of the lift table 12 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4.Initially, the hydraulic cylinder 60 is operated to position thereceiving and supporting assembly 36 and the lifting arms 52 in theweapon receiving position shown in FIG. ll. At the same time, the lifttruck is operated to position the lift table 12 adjacent a weapon W thatis supported on a surface, or that is otherwise supported in such a waythat the receiving and supporting assembly 36 of the lift table 12cannot be positioned under it. The hooks 54 of the lifting arms 52 arethen secured to the lugs L of the weapon W by a chain C, and the tablelifting mechanism 26 of the truck 10 is operated to lift the weapon W inthe manner shown in FIG. 2.

When the weapon W is secured to and supported by the lifting arms 52 ofthe'lift table 12, the hydraulic cylinder 60 of the lift table 12 isactuated to pivot the lifting arms 52 and the receiving and supportingassembly 36 from the weapon receiving position shown in FIGS. I and 2 tothe weapon supporting position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. During themovement of the arms 52 and the assembly 36 from the weapon receivingposition to the weapon supporting position, the receiving and supportingassembly 36 moves under the weapon W in the manner shown in FIG. 3, sothat the weapon W is transferred from the arms 52 to the assembly 36.

When the components of the lift table 12 are in the weapon supportingposition shown in FIG. 4, the chain C is removed. Then, the variouscomponents of the receiving and supporting assembly 36 are manipulatedto properly position the lugs L of the weapon W to the weapon attachingmembers of an aircraft (not shown). During this action, the lifting arms52 of the lift table 12 may be pivoted to the position shown in dashedlines in FIG. 5, if desired.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a lift table 66 comprising asecond embodiment of the invention. The lift table 66 is similar to thelift table 12 in that it includes a frame 68 that is supported on a pairof booms 70 and a pair of tension rods 72, a receiving and supportingassembly 74% and a pair of lifting arms 76. The assembly 74 and the arms76 are mounted for pivotal movement relative to the frame 68 uponoperation of a hydraulic cylinder 78.

The difference between the lift table 66 and the lift table 12 comprisesthe structure of the receiving and supporting assembly 74. It has beenfound that in some instances, weapons can be secured to the weaponattaching members of an aircraft without the use of the various motionsprovided by the components of the receiving and supporting assembly 36.Thus, the receiving and supporting assembly 74 comprises a plate 80 anda plurality of weapon engaging rollers 82 that are selectivelypositioned in various apertures formed in the plate 80 depending uponthe size of the weapon to be handled by the lift table 66. The operationof the lift table 66 is identical to the operation of the lift table 12,except that weapons supported on the rollers 80 are manipulated relativeto the attaching members of an aircraft by manipulating the entire lifttable, rather than by manipulating the component parts of the receivingand supporting assembly 74.

Referring now to FIG. "I, a lift table 84- comprising a third embodimentof the invention is shown. The lift table 8 8 is similar to the lifttables 12 and 66 in that it includes a frame 86. The frame 86 issupported on a pair of booms 88 and a pair of tension rods 90, and inturn supports a receiving and supporting assembly 92 and a pair oflifting arms 94. The assembly 92 and the arms 94 are mounted for pivotalmovement relative to the frame 86 upon operation of a hydraulic cylinder96.

The lift table 8 3 differs from the lift tables 12 and 66 in that thereceiving and supporting assembly 92 comprises a pair of conventionallift forks 98. In the operation of the table 84, the cylinder 96 isoperated to position the forks 98 vertically and the arms 94horizontally. Then, the table 84 is positioned adjacent an article thatis supported on a surface, or that is otherwise supported so that theforks 93 cannot be manipulated under it.

When the table 34 is positioned adjacent the article, the arms 94 aresecured thereto and the table 86 is lifted to clear the article of anyobstructions. Then, the cylinder 96 is operated to pivot the forks 98and the arms 96 to the position shown in FIG. 7. During the movement ofthe forks 96 and the arms 94, the forks 98 move under the article sothat the article is transferred from the arms 94 to the forks 98.Thereafter, the article is disengaged from the arms 96, and the lifttable 64 is manipulated in the manner of a conventional forklift truck.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, a lift table 106 comprising a fourthembodiment of the invention is shown. The lift table 100 includes areceiving and supporting assembly 102 which is constructed, supportedand manipulated identically to the supporting and receiving assembly 36of the lift table 12. The lift table 100 further includes a lifting arm104 that is positioned adjacent to and that extends over the weaponreceiving and supporting assembly 102.

The arm 104 includes a pair of beams 1166 that are pivotally connectedto the weapon receiving and supporting assembly 102 and that extend to apivotal shaft 108. A pair of beams extend from the pivot shaft 108 to ahook 112. The position of the beams 1110 relative to the beams 106 iscontrolled by an adjusting assembly 114 including a bracket 116 and ascrew 118.

In the use of the lift table 100, the weapon receiving and supportingassembly 102 and the weapon lifting arm 104 are pivoted through an arcof about 90 until the assembly 102 extends vertically and the arm 104extends horizontally. Then, a conventional lug beam B is connectedbetween the hook 112 of the arm 104 and the lugs L of a weapon W. Afterthe weapon W is connected to the arm 104, the weapon receiving assembly102 and the arm 104 are pivoted to the weapon supporting position shownin FIG. 8, wherein the assembly 102 extends horizontally and the arm 104extends vertically. During this movement, the assembly 102 moves underthe weapon W so that the weapon W is transferred from the arm 104 to theassembly 102. When the table 100 is in the position shown in FIGS. 8 and9, the arm 104 is disconnected from the weapon W by removing the lugbeam B. Thereafter, the beams 110 may be pivoted relative to the beams106, or the entire arm 104 may be pivoted relative to the receiving andsupporting assembly 102, if desired.

It will be understood that various modifications can be made in each ofthe embodiments shown in the drawings. For example, any of the numerousconventional cables, clamps, etc. can be employed in any of theembodiments instead of the chains and lug beams disclosed. Also, theweapon manipulation mechanisms of the several conventional lift tablescan be utilized as the receiving and supporting assembly of any of theembodiments.

The use of the present invention is advantageous in that it eliminatesthe necessity of positioning an article on a rack, a pallet, or the likebefore the article can be mounted on a receiving and supportingassembly. Instead, the article is secured to the lifting arms of thelift table and is transferred from the lifting arms to the receiving andsupporting assembly. Thereafter, the article is manipulated by thereceiving and supporting assembly in the conventional manner.

Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated in thedrawings and described herein, it will be understood that the inventionis not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable ofrearrangement, modification and substitution of parts and elementswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A lift table comprising:

an assembly including an article receiving and supporting member, anarticle lifting member, means secured to the article lifting member forconnecting an article thereto, and means on the article receiving andsupporting member for receiving and supporting an article secured to thelifting member and for selectively varying the orientation of thearticle relative to the assembly; and

means for moving the assembly between an article receiving positionwherein the article lifting member extends outwardly and an articlesupporting position wherein the article receiving and supporting memberextends under the article lifting supporting member.

2. The lift table according to claim 1 wherein the moving meanspositions the article receiving and supporting member under the articlelifting member as the assembly is moved from the article receivingposition to the article supporting position.

3. The lift table according to claim 1 wherein the article receiving andsupporting member and the article lifting member are generallyperpendicular to each other and wherein the moving means pivots theassembly between positions wherein the members extend in generallyperpendicular directions.

4. A lift table comprising:

an article lifting and supporting mechanism including a normallyupwardly extending lifting member and a normally horizontally extendingreceiving and supporting member; means for pivoting the article liftingand supporting mechanism between the normal position and an articlereceiving position wherein the lifting member extends outwardly and thereceiving and supporting member extends vertically; means for connectingaerial weapons to the lifting member when the article lifting andsupporting mechanism is in the article receiving position; and

means mounted on the receiving and supporting member for receivingweapons connected to the lifting member as the lifting member isreturned to the normal position by the pivoting means and for permittingselective rotation of the weapons about their axes.

5. The lift table according to claim 4 wherein the connecting meanscomprises a lug beam.

6. The lift table according to claim 4 wherein the lifting andsupporting mechanism comprises means for connection to an article and apair of lift forks.

7. A lift table comprising: aframe; an article receiving and supportingassembly pivotally mounted on the frame and including an articlesupporting portion;

an article lifting arm pivotally mounted on the receiving and supportingsurface and extending adjacent to and away from the article supportingportion thereof;

means secured to the lifting arm for connecting an article thereto; and

means for pivoting the article receiving and supporting assemblyrelative to the frame between an article receiving position wherein thearticle lifting arm extends outwardly from the frame and an articlesupporting position wherein the article supporting portion extendsoutwardly from the frame and under the article lifting arm.

8. The lift table according to claim 7 wherein the frame is mounted on avehicle that includes means for raising and lowering the frame.

9. A lift table comprising:

an initially vertically extending article receiving member;

an article lifting arm mounted on the receiving member and initiallyextending outwardly therefrom;

connecting means secured at one end to the lifting arm and secured atthe other end to an article;

means for pivoting the receiving member and the lifting arm into anorientation wherein the lifting arm extends upwardly and the receivingmember extends horizontally and thereby positioning the receiving memberunder and in supporting engagement with the article; and

means mounted on the article receiving member for receiving an articlesecured to the connecting means as the article receiving member ispositioned horizontally by the pivoting means and adapted for subsequentselective repositioning of the received article relative to thereceiving member.

10. The lift table according to claim 9 wherein the lifting arm includesa hook and wherein the connecting means comprises a chain secured in thehook of the lifting arm.

11. The lift table according to claim 9 wherein the connecting meanscomprises a lug beam.

12. The lift table according to claim 9 wherein the lifting arm isadapted for movement between normal and inoperative positions relativeto the receiving member.

13. A lift table comprising:

an article receiving and supporting member;

means for pivoting the article receiving and supporting member between avertical orientation and a horizontal orientation;

means for connecting an article to the article receiving and supportingmember when it is in the vertical orientation; and

means mounted on the article receiving and supporting member forreceiving and supporting the article as it is moved to the horizontalorientation by the pivoting means and for thereafter permittingselective repositioning of the article relative to the article receivingand supporting member.

14. The lift table according to claim 13 wherein the repositioning meanscomprises roller means adapted to receive cylindrical articles and topermit selective rotation thereof about their respective axes.

15. The lift table according to claim 13 wherein the connecting meanscomprises an arm extending from the article receiving and supportingmember and means for connecting an article to the arm.

1. A lift table comprising: an assembly including an article receivingand supporting member, an article lifting member, means secured to thearticle lifting member for connecting an article thereto, and means onthe article receiving and supporting member for receiving and supportingan article secured to the lifting member and for selectively varying theorientation of the article relative to the assembly; and means formoving the assembly between an article receiving position wherein thearticle lifting member extends outwardly and an article supportingposition wherein the article receiving and supporting member extendsunder the article lifting supporting member.
 2. The lift table accordingto claim 1 wherein the moving means positions the article receiving andsupporting member under the article lifting member as the assembly ismoved from the article receiving position to the article supportingposition.
 3. The lift table according to claim 1 wherein the articlereceiving and supporting member and the article lifting member aregenerally perpendicular to each other and wherein the moving meanspivots the assembly between positions wherein the members extend ingenerally perpendicular directions.
 4. A lift table comprising: anarticle lifting and supporting mechanism including a normally upwardlyextending lifting member and a normally horizontally extending receivingand supporting member; means for pivoting the article lifting andsupporting mechanism between the normal position and an articlereceiving position wherein the lifting member extends outwardly and thereceiving and supporting member extends vertically; means for connectingaerial weapons to the lifting member when the article lifting andsupporting mechanism is in the article receiving position; and meansmounted on the receiving and supporting member for receiving weaponsconnected to the lifting member as the lifting member is returned to thenormal position by the pivoting means and for permitting selectiverotation of the weapons about their axes.
 5. The lift table according toclaim 4 wherein the connecting means comprises a lug beam.
 6. The lifttable according to claim 4 wherein the lifting and supporting mechanismcomprises means for connection to an article and a pair of lift forks.7. A lift table comprising: a frame; an article receiving and supportingassembly pivotally mounted on the frame and including an articlesupporting portion; an article lifting arm pivotally mounted on thereceiving and supporting surface and extending adjacent to and away fromthe article supporting portion thereof; means secured to the lifting armfor connecting an article thereto; and MEANS for pivoting the articlereceiving and supporting assembly relative to the frame between anarticle receiving position wherein the article lifting arm extendsoutwardly from the frame and an article supporting position wherein thearticle supporting portion extends outwardly from the frame and underthe article lifting arm.
 8. The lift table according to claim 7 whereinthe frame is mounted on a vehicle that includes means for raising andlowering the frame.
 9. A lift table comprising: an initially verticallyextending article receiving member; an article lifting arm mounted onthe receiving member and initially extending outwardly therefrom;connecting means secured at one end to the lifting arm and secured atthe other end to an article; means for pivoting the receiving member andthe lifting arm into an orientation wherein the lifting arm extendsupwardly and the receiving member extends horizontally and therebypositioning the receiving member under and in supporting engagement withthe article; and means mounted on the article receiving member forreceiving an article secured to the connecting means as the articlereceiving member is positioned horizontally by the pivoting means andadapted for subsequent selective repositioning of the received articlerelative to the receiving member.
 10. The lift table according to claim9 wherein the lifting arm includes a hook and wherein the connectingmeans comprises a chain secured in the hook of the lifting arm.
 11. Thelift table according to claim 9 wherein the connecting means comprises alug beam.
 12. The lift table according to claim 9 wherein the liftingarm is adapted for movement between normal and inoperative positionsrelative to the receiving member.
 13. A lift table comprising: anarticle receiving and supporting member; means for pivoting the articlereceiving and supporting member between a vertical orientation and ahorizontal orientation; means for connecting an article to the articlereceiving and supporting member when it is in the vertical orientation;and means mounted on the article receiving and supporting member forreceiving and supporting the article as it is moved to the horizontalorientation by the pivoting means and for thereafter permittingselective repositioning of the article relative to the article receivingand supporting member.
 14. The lift table according to claim 13 whereinthe repositioning means comprises roller means adapted to receivecylindrical articles and to permit selective rotation thereof abouttheir respective axes.
 15. The lift table according to claim 13 whereinthe connecting means comprises an arm extending from the articlereceiving and supporting member and means for connecting an article tothe arm.